Some less frequently asked questions
See the your name in... links page.
Sorry, can't help you. I'm not a translator and don't do translations.
If you need information about translating/transliterating your name
into Tengwar/Elvish/Quenya, please visit:
http://www.starchamber.com/paracelsus/elvish/elvish-in-ten-minutes.html
http://gildor.freepage.gr/tolkien/realteng/guide.html
You can find people willing to translate short texts between many languages at: http://www.freelang.net/translation/
If you want to have your name or other words or phrases translated
into Chinese try these sites:
http://www.formosa-translation.com/chinese/
http://www.transname.com
For translations into Ancient Greek, try:
http://www.translatum.gr/forum/index.php/board,14.0.html
For Japanese translation/transliteration questions, please visit:
http://www.dsfy.com/
See a number of popular Japanese kanji at:
http://japanese.about.com/bl50kanji.htm
For questions about the Tibetan language please try:
http://www.learntibetan.net
If you have any questions about Aramaic, please post them on the forum at: http://www.assyrianlanguage.com/
"Ask the Experts" - contact details of people willing and able to answer questions about a wide range of languages: http://www.carla.umn.edu/lctl/resources/experts.html
Online translation sites, Online dictionaries, Electronic dictionaries and translators
Maybe - send your images to 
and I will try to identify the writing system and the language it's written in.
I'll also have a go at deciphering the text, but if I'm unable to do so,
I'll post it on my puzzles page.
Maybe. First send a sample text in your alphabet to
If I like your alphabet and decide to add it to this site, I'll need the information listed below:
Please save images in GIF format, a maximum width of 600px and a file size of ideally no more than 20K. JPGs are also acceptable but GIFs are better for images with few colours. If you're unable to create images using a graphics program, you can write out your script by hand and then scan it or take a digital photo of it. Please try to write neatly!
Please provide any notes related to your script in text format, not as part of images.
Please note: I don't add every alphabet I receive to this site, but only the ones that really appeal to me. If I decide not to add your alphabet, please don't be downhearted. I encourage you to think creatively about the shapes of letters and other symbols, the ways they fit together, the sounds they represent and the overall look of your script.
The less work I have to do to add your script on my site, the more likely I'll do so.
You can save images in GIF and JPG format using MS Paint or other graphics programs.
Image editing software is available from:
http://www.tucows.com
http://www.download.com
http://www.shareware.com
There's a tutorial on creating images for the web at:
http://docs.rinet.ru:8083/PublicPauk/ch8.htm
Software for creating/editing fonts is available from:
http://users.breathe.com/l-emmett/
http://www.high-logic.com/fcp.html
http://fontforge.sourceforge.net/
http://www.fontifier.com/
http://www.macromedia.com/software/fontographer/
http://www.pyrus.com
You can find a tutorial on creating fonts at:
http://www.chank.com/howto/
Neographies forum, a place to discuss constructed alphabets
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/neographies/
Alphabets created by visitors to this site.
You can also submit your alphabets to: http://www.langmaker.com
Only if it's written with an invented writing system. A good place to submit conlangs is: http://www.langmaker.com
Possibly, if your spelling system uses an alternative alphabet or a significantly modified version of an existing alphabet.
Probably because I haven't got round to adding it yet or haven't found sufficient information about it. If you can recommend any good sources of information, please do so. Details of the pronunciation of languages are usually the most difficult thing to find.
Those particular symbols represent the 'th' the and the 'th' in three respectively. They belong to the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and you can find out more at:
http://www.unil.ch/ling/page13266.html
http://www.unil.ch/ling/page12580.html (en français)
You could:
A Vietnamese font called Hoang Yen, which you can download here (TrueType, 35K)
Yes, this is something I've considered, and I may just do something about one of these days. In the meantime, there are already a number of places where you can read about and discuss writing systems, typography, language(s), translation, etc:
Forums:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qalam/
http://www.typophile.com
http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/1600739206
http://www.chinese-forums.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/neographies/
http://forum.wordreference.com
Blogs:
http://www.languagehat.com
http://polyglotconspiracy.net
http://www.nakedtranslations.com/en/blog.php
http://www.worldwidewords.org
http://www.languagelog.org
http://www.mithridates.com
http://www.multilingualblog.com
http://www.apresmoiledeluge.blogspot.com
http://abecedaria.blogspot.com
http://ruphus.com/blog/
7th January 2006
You most certainly can, for non-commercial purposes only. Don't forget to mention where the material came from. Let me know if you need images in a different format or with a different colour background (please specify the background and text colour you want).
I suggest something along the lines of the following as way to cite Omniglot in your formal papers, assignments or essays:
Ager, Simon. "Document title". Date of access
For example:
Ager, Simon. "Omniglot - a guide to written language".
2006-02-30. www.omniglot.com
Omniglot was first published on the web in November 1998, and was last updated on 7th January 2006.
For further advice on citing online sources, see: http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html
If you would like to use images or text for commercial purposes, please contact me to discuss this.
Yes, if your website is about language, writing systems or a related subject.
Yes, you certainly can.
You don't - there is no Omniglot database of translators. Try www.proz.com.
If you are a translator, interpreter or work with languages in some other capacity, please consider submitting an article to my language-related articles section.
Copyright 1998- Simon Ager